Motorcycle batteries provide the much needed power for motorcycles, often custom made for each design. Understanding motorcycle batteries can help ensure their safety as well as their ability to be long lasting.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

First, you should check the motorcycle owner’s manual for proper size and minimum recommended cranking amps. You can also consult a battery application guide by looking up correct make, model, year, and CCs to determine the proper size for your vehicle. Never use a battery with a lower capacity rating than is recommended by the manufacturer. Using a battery with a higher capacity is never detrimental, and is recommended for older vehicles to improve starting and provide longer life for the battery. The increased rating will not affect the starting and charging system.

It's easier than you think to buy the wrong battery for your vehicle. Unless your current battery is definitely the original equipment, you're taking a chance by not double checking before you purchase the new battery. You can search for a certain battery, but there are a few general rules you should know before you search.

If the battery for your vehicle is sensor-equipped, remember to replace the sensor at the same time you change the battery.

Never swap a Maintenance Free battery for another battery unless the Applications book says it's OK.

When given the option of several different batteries for your vehicle, choose the one that will give you what you want performance-wise. It's up to you.

Always make sure you have the right battery before you charge and install it. Save yourself the hassle (and money) of having to buy another battery.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Charging a motorcycle battery is essential to getting winterized bikes back on the road or restoring vintage motorcycles. Motorcycle batteries are a bit more complicated than car batteries in terms of charging, however by following these simple steps your battery should be charged and you back on the road in no time.

1

Begin by estimating the current charge in the battery. Unscrew one of the top caps and insert the hydrometer into the well, suck up some electrolyte and see how many balls float. Use the chart associated with the hydrometer to determine the charge level.

Step 2

Add deionized water to the wells if the level is below the minimum fill line. You will need to unscrew each of the caps and fill each well separately. Make sure all of the wells are even.

Step 3

Plug the battery charger into the wall, set on 6-volt charge and hook the wires up to the appropriate terminals (positive and negative). Charge the battery at one-third its rated capacity in amps/hour for four to five hours in order to get to full charge.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

It seems an extremely practical requirement that riders of motorcycles should inform themselves of their own bike battery rating. They should also be well informed about the necessary regular maintenance requirements of their bike battery, as well as top ups that may be necessary, in order to prolong the life span of their bicycle battery as well as ensure optimum performance.

Voltage levels as well as the specific gravity of the battery should be checked to circumvent annoying inconveniences on the run. Salt deposits can build up over a period of time, on the lead terminal that keeps the electrodes in place. Regular attention to cleaning these terminals would provide contact assurance which is of immense value to the running of the bike, and such cleaning also contributes to the longer life span of the battery. Most of these can be satisfactorily checked by a motorcycle battery maintenance crew or a mechanic. This is one of the preliminary and routine checks and yet immensely damaging if not done routinely or overlooked.

In summary – I would suggest that you should educate yourself about the make of your motorcycle battery. This would usually vary with the make of each machine. One of the main reasons for this is that today’s market is exploding with companies that produce different brands of batteries. Another factor is to do your homework on the choice of your battery. It is essential for the battery to be of good quality and of a trusted brand. It is a very good idea to also apprise yourself of the regular maintenance requirements of your battery. You should neither overcharge it, nor allow it to decline into a state of deep discharge. Make sure the terminals are kept clean. There are many benefits available to the user of a well maintained and well kept battery.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Have you experienced a dead battery of your motorcycle? What did you do to start your motorcyle? Using a kick starter is one of the option, but there is another way ; pust start your motorcycle. But remember, this method not applicable to all type of motorcycle.

Push-starting a motorcycle is a useful trick when you have a dead battery or the engine won't turn over. It starts the engine quickly without using the battery by using the momentum of the motorcycle.

# Turn the key to the "on" position.# Put the bike in neutral.# Make sure the engine kill switch is in the on position.# Check the fuel valve to make sure that fuel is being supplied to the engine. Basically, just make sure that you've done everything you normally do when starting your bike, but don't hit the ignition switch.# Roll your bike down a hill or have a helpful friend give you a push to get moving.# Try to hit roughly 10mph (ideally, the faster the better, since you'll have more momentum), pull in the clutch, put the bike into first gear (sometimes second works better, if one doesn't work try the other) and let go of the clutch QUICKLY.# The engine will sputter and start. Give it gas, and pull the clutch back in so you don't take off. Stop and hold the clutch in or put it in neutral, and make sure the engine is running well.# Once the engine is running smoothly, put it in first gear, and drive your bike to the shop to replace the battery or find out why it was having so much trouble.

You can refer below clip for a clear picture of how to pust start a motorcyle.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Once you realize how important a battery is for your bike you'll want to look for the right one. Watch for the following aspects: size, amps, volts and extra capacity. Size seems logical but unlike a car where you can get away with a different size.. on a bike this is not recommended. When you check the amps - you are actually looking at the pure power the battery has without help from the engine. The capacity is more or less how long the motorcycle battery would work without being charged.

So, you might be thinking I'll set up my bike with a damn big powerful battery and get rocking down the road. Sorry. Don't do this. A battery and engine have been so closely designed to meet exactly what your bike needs. All those small aspects like polarity, vent tubes etc must match your bike. So stick to the right OEM battery part. But on the bright side manufacturers do have stronger upgrades available.

How to keep your motorcycle battery in great working order: check it's secure, all components are attached in the right way, if it's still a fill-up model have it topped up to the right level and have it charge on a trickle charger when not used for a longer period of time. Always recharge at a 1/3 of the ampere hour rating of the battery.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

1) Remove the packing & yellow stoppers from the top of the battery. Remove the cap from the end of the breather nipple located at the top on the side of the battery.2) Fill each of the holes in the top of the battery with battery acid up to the upper level mark on the front of the battery (do not replace the yellow stoppers yet)3) Charge the battery for 3-4 hours with a motorcycle battery charger4) After charging, disconnect the battery from the charger & leave to settle for 1 hour5) Re check the battery acid level (make sure it is up to the upper level mark) & top up the acid levels if required6) Securely replace the yellow stoppers into the holes in the top of the battery7) The battery is now filled & charged & ready for use (when connecting to a motorbike/scooter, always connect the positive (+) terminal first)

Maintenance Free type

1) Remove the packing & remove the tin foil strip from the top of the battery. Remove the battery acid pack(s) from the plastic bag but DO NOT remove the foil from the top of the acid packs.2) Invert the acid pack into the top of the battery so the foil covered tops of the acid packs are covering the holes in the top of the battery. Press the acid pack down firmly into the holes in the battery (a series of spikes inside the battery holes will pierce the foil & let the acid out). Gently tap the acid packs until all the acid has gone into the battery. Sealed batteries come with 1 or 2 acid packs, use all the acid that comes with the battery as this provides the required amount to fill the battery.3) Leave the battery to settle for 1 hour4) Place the plastic strip into the holes on the top of the battery & press firmly into place until the plastic strip fits flush with the top of the battery.5) Charge the battery for 3-4 hours with a Motorcycle Battery Charger6) Disconnect the battery from the battery charger.7) The battery is now filled & charged & ready for use (when connecting to a motorbike/scooter, always connect the positive (+) terminal first)

Monday, February 23, 2009

Motorcycle batteries are very similar to car batteries in that there are, essentially, two types to consider. Conventional batteries have chambers holding metal plates in an acidic electrolyte solution and require regular maintenance. The other is a maintenance-free battery.

Conventional batteries are ideal for vehicles that are driven in hotter climate. Since the battery is not sealed, water can be added if needed.

A maintenance free battery in general has a longer operational life, faster recharging time and longer shelf life. However, they are prone to failures due to shedding of an actie plate material that weakens over time.

Other than above, they are also different type of batteries ;YuMicron Motorcycle BatteriesYuMicron CX Motorcycle Batteries

Always make sure you have the right motorcycle battery before you charge and install it. Save yourself the hassle (and money) of having to buy another motorcycle battery.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Once you realize how important a battery is for your motorcycle you’ll be looking for the right one and then you need to watch the following aspects: size, amps, volts and extra capacity. Size seems logical but unlike a car where you can get away with a different size.. on a motorcycle this is not recommended. When you check the amps – you are actually looking at the pure power the battery has without help from the engine. The capacity is more or less how long the motorcycle battery would work without being charged.

So, you might be thinking I’ll set up my bike with a damn big powerful battery and get rocking down the road. Sorry. Don’t do this. A battery / engine have been so closely designed to meet exactly that what your bike needs. All those small aspects like polarity, vent tubes etc must match your bike. So stick to the right OEM battery part. But on the bright side manufacturers do have stronger upgrades available.

How to keep your motorcycle battery in great working order: check it’s secure, all components are attached in the right way, if it’s still a fill-up model have it topped up to the right level and have it charge on a trickle charger when not used for a longer period of time. Always recharge at a 1/3 of the ampere hour rating of the battery.

For more details about motorcycle batteries maintenance, please watch YouTube video clips at the right column of this blog.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Yes, there are those who overcharge the battery. The usual belief is that during overcharge, the battery may lose some water which can then be easily replaced. Not so exactly. During overcharging, there is an abundance of oxygen gas released from the decomposition of water in the electrolyte. That passes through the cell areas and oxidizes the positive plates of the battery. This oxidation impairs the conduction of electricity and reduces the capacity of the battery.Low Electrolyte Solution

This is usually an owner induced problem due to neglect and will subtract from battery longevity. It can also happen from long trips where the battery is continually fully charged and yet continues to charge, decomposing the water into hydrogen and oxygen gasses (called gassing). When the level of electrolyte drops, the upper part of the plates become inactive, further causing a reduction in total battery capacity. It also causes further heating due to an increase in internal resistance of the cells, and resulting heat damage.

I should mention that higher-voltage regulators (as some advertise) are not always a good idea. For short rides and commuting, maybe the higher voltage regulators make sense, but they do not see the higher voltage until the battery reaches a minimum charge level, so the reasoning justifying their use is superfluous to some extent. Batteries will charge just fine with as little as 13.5 volts applied to them, it just takes longer. BMW's standard voltage is 14.0 and it would be best to stick with that (using the standard regulator). Higher voltage regulators can easily cause additional water consumption and increased internal battery heating and result in the problems listed above.

Poisoned Electrolyte

Only distilled water should be used in the makeup of the electrolyte. One heavy dose of a high mineral content water can contaminate a battery and cut its life in half. High mineral content reduces battery electrolyte effectiveness as the minerals are foreign to the needed chemistry. Self discharge rates will increase along with sulphation and internal heating.Overfilling the Electrolyte with Water

Clearly this is a man-made virus, as the temptation is to practice the theory that more is better. Absolutely not so. Overfilling causes two damaging problems:

During charging, gasses are generated within the electrolyte and will raise the level of the electrolyte , which is normal. But when it is too high by overfilling, the excess will spit out the vent, possibly causing corrosion on the motorcycle, and dilution of the electrolyte, which reduces battery capacity and causes excessive internal heating.

Overfilling can under extreme circumstances, also cause a liquid short circuit between each of the cells and create havoc with the heat so generated. This may destroy the battery and under some circumstances, cause it to explode with the high heat conditions generated.

So when they say don't overfill, they mean it. All that is really necessary is to insure that the top of the separators are covered with electrolyte. The level admittedly, is hard to observe. To ease that problem, shine a light through the battery from rear to front (bike on centerstand).

A battery is a living electro-chemical device and starts dying the day it is born, or more precisely, the minute it is activated from dry charge status. During the course of its use, it deteriorates gradually. Under the best of circumstances, will last approximately 5-7 years given optimum care.

What in particular damages the battery and limits its life?

Internal HeatingDuring the course of starting a vehicle, the starter draws tremendous current, in the vicinity of several hundred amperes. All batteries have internal electrical resistance. Some of the energy that is intended for external use (starting etc.) stays within the battery itself and produces internal heating. We know that the 12 1/2 to 13 volts at the battery drops to perhaps 9 volts under starting. Assuming 3 to 4 volts is dropped internally at a current of let's say 250 amperes, the internal heating power loss is approximately 3 1/2 times 250 or 875 watts. That is the same amount of heat produced in a good sized kitchen toaster. Excessive heat conditions produced internally are very damaging to the lead plates, the separators, and other internal structures within the battery. It can cause a certain amount of warpage and with it, loosening and loss of some of the plate material as it falls to the bottom of the cells. This in turn causes a loss of battery capacity, and additional internal heating in subsequent usage in a cumulative and increasing manner. Eventually, one or more of the 6 cells can short out, or lose enough capacity to cause total destruction. If one cell fails, the entire battery is ineffective.

Summer high heat conditions aggravate internal heat and can be the straw that breaks the camel's back. In the recent midwest heat wave, battery failures were so numerous that the subject made the front pages of the Chicago newspapers. Many stores were sold out of batteries!

Vibration

The motorcycle battery undergoes rougher vibrational treatment than its automotive counterpart. Vibration also causes plate material to dislodge from its support grid causing a loss of battery capacity which in turn aggravates the internal heating effect. The degree of vibrational damage depends on the motorcycle engine's vibrational level, and the road surfaces to which the motorcycle is subjected. Vibration is a highly variable factor in the determination of battery longevity.

Too Low a Battery Charge Level

Autos are generally used at frequent enough intervals and for long enough duration to keep the battery charged. The matter of a favorable charge level is somewhat of a tightrope act but is generally considered to be 95-98% of full capacity. Monitors to indicate their exact needs are not incorporated into charge systems as a study of cell electrolyte would be necessary. The charge needs are therefore based on calculated conjecture coupled with expected usage recycling. Voltage regulation is the extent of charge level control.

With motorcycle usage, the subject of battery charge can be a vexing problem. All batteries are subject to a natural self-discharge rate due to their inherent properties. Like marriages, they are not perfect, but beat whatever is in second place. The self-discharge rate is about 3 times greater in the heat of summer than in the cold of winter. Chemical reactions tend to revert to hibernatory status as temperatures drop, so while cold temperatures may cause batteries to lose capacity, they also reduce the rate of self-discharge.

If a rider lays his machine up in summer, self-discharge can take place in a matter of 3-6 weeks, especially if the battery was not fully charged before it was laid up. This can result in two battery detroying possibilities:

Internal overheating when starting is again attempted. Usually the starter will stall or nearly stall. With a stalled starter drawing high currents, severe heat damage occurs inside the battery.

Possible irreversible sulphation.

If the charge level gets too low, the cells will undergo a partial to total chemical sulphation, depending on just how low the charge was. This kind of sulphation, with white crystalline deposits, is irreversible. The end result is partial to total loss of battery capacity and refusal of the battery to take a charge. Chemically, the battery has locked itself into a discharged condition. This kind of damage frequently occurs to folks who put their cars "up on blocks" before leaving for an extended trip, especially if it's over the course of a summer. The fix unfortunately, is a new battery.

The primary concern with cold weather storage, the kind everyone frets about in winter, is freezing of the electrolyte. But electrolyte freezing is not a concern in America if the charge level of the battery is 65% or greater. The best treatment for wintertime storage is to charge the battery to near full as possible, then keep it outside where it is cold. The very worst thing to do is take it inside and keep it warm and unattended next to the furnace. That will quickly cause it to develop the summer death syndrome.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Motorcycles are a bundle of energy, if there was ever one, condensed tightly into the smallest space. With all the trappings of modern man it makes sense to make the ride as easy and comfortable as possible. The lights, blinkers, indicators, audio gizmos and whatnots of technological advances that flood man in this age and time all demand clean power to be fed incessantly. And the most popular and reliable source that has served the purposes most conveniently and adequately is the motorcycle battery. It is capable of supplying increasingly larger and maintenance free DC power without lots of fuss.

Motorcycle batteries vary by brand. Choosing motorcycle batteries involves several important factors. You need to know a good bit about your bike in order to purchase a motorcycle battery.

Motorcycle batteries vary by engine size on any particular motorcycle. Motorcycle engines range in size and are measure by cc. A small engine could be a 100cc for example, where as a larger engine size can be 1200cc. The higher the number, the more powerful the engine.

Motorcycle batteries are specifically designed for specific brands. If you drive a BMW motorcycle, you will purchase a different motorcycle battery that if you drove a Harley-Davidson.

Motorcycle batteries can be purchased in several different ways. Standard type is a “spillable” battery that requires dry shipment. The acid must be purchased locally in order to activate the battery. The acid is called electrolyte, which is sulfuric acid, diluted by water. This must be added only to a dry shipped battery. Normally, acid is not needed to be added to a battery. Once a battery is purchased, only approved water should be added.

Another way batteries can be purchased is sealed maintenance free or Sealed MF.Sealed MF is a sealed maintenance free battery that comes ready to install and is “non-spillable”. Other options when purchasing motorcycles batteries include high performance, AGM types, and Odyssey.

All motorcycle batteries are lead acid batteries. There are completely recyclable and should never be thrown away with regular waste. Motorcycles are easy to check charge with a voltmeter.